Job Opportunities

Currently Hiring:

--Phone OrganizersPhone Organizers are responsible for acting as a communications and fundraising liaison between MPA and our members. Responsibilities include updating members on current issues and campaigns and negotiating contributions.

MPA is hiring field organizers in Portland, Saco, Lewiston and Bangor to make a difference on issues that matter to everyday Mainers. Our success hinges on our ability to engage everyday people in a powerful and strategic grassroots campaign. Field organizing is the foundation of our grassroots infrastructure, allowing us to recruit members, raise money, generate grassroots action and build political power amongst key constituencies.

Qualifications: Excellent communication skills.

Our field organizers will have the opportunity to talk with hundreds of Maine people, organize press conferences, lobby our state and national representatives, and learn what it takes to be a great organizer. Current campaign positions are focused on identifying and mobilizing voters to support progressive economic policies like raising the minimum wage, but there are also opportunities for employment beyond the current campaign and for career-building advancement. We have leadership/career opportunities available for those that demonstrate the commitment and skills to excel at the job. Pay starts at $14/ hour plus bonuses and benefits.

MPA Internships and Fellowship Program

MPA is committed to an internship and fellowship program that develops our organization and brings in new people who are committed to social change and are interested in learning a variety of skills in the work. The program is open to seniors in high school, community college students, students enrolled in 4-year colleges or graduate school, recent graduates and people interested in social justice careers.

About the programs:The internship and fellowship programs begin with participants attending a mandatory one-day orientation. During the training, participants learn about building power, the campaigns MPA is currently engaged in, the skill of holding one-on-one meetings, recruiting leaders, and more. Following the training, participants are assigned an MPA staff person as their supervisor who will help them develop individual work plans and goals for their time in the program. Participants will receive day-to-day supervision, ongoing training, and mentoring from their assigned staff member. They will also be expected to fill out weekly reports and meet regularly for reflection.

Maine People’s Alliance has multiple opportunities available:

Organizing program:The spring organizing program coincides with the Maine legislative session and will involve organizing grassroots activists to engage in state and federal policy work. Fall organizing interns/fellows will get hands-on experience during election season. All organizing interns/fellows will work in targeted regions to recruit, train, and develop the leadership of community members and engage them in current campaigns. Organizing interns/fellows will work closely with a local organizer. Activities will include: door-to-door canvassing, phone calls, meetings, trainings, writing, planning, lobbying, and more.

Policy program (January- June only)Policy interns/fellows will work closely with the Political Director during the Maine legislative session in the State House learning the ins and outs of how a law gets passed and how grassroots pressure can influence law making. Interns/fellows will track bills as they make their way through the legislative process; monitor committee work; conduct policy research; recruit volunteer lobbyists; and help lead actions, trainings, and other events with MPA members at the State House.

Communications program:Communications interns/fellows will work closely with MPA’s communication staff and staff of The Beacon. Interns/fellows will have an opportunity to learn how communication through both traditional and emerging new media can impact social change. Communications interns/fellows will work with communications staff using a variety of skills and tools such as managing a social media presence, graphic design and video production, establishing press relationships, staffing public media events, writing for public communication, investigative journalism and more.

We offer:Internships: Interning with MPA is an unpaid volunteer position. Students are expected to spend anywhere from 5-20 hours a week in this position. People can intern for school credit or for the experience depending on what their school requires or allows. Some applicants may be able to get funding for an internship through their school but students are responsible for coordinating such an arrangement with their respective schools. Internships are available in our organizing, policy, and communications programs.

MPA Student Action Organizing Fellow: The Student Action Organizing Fellow is a paid position open to anyone who is attending a Maine college or university. This program is competitive, as there will be at most one fellow on each college campus. Students are expected to work an average of ten hours a week in this role, for a total of 140 hours a semester. Some of the responsibilities and projects include, but are not limited to:

Meeting weekly with MPA supervisor

Participating in a video chat with fellows representing other Maine campuses every other week

Utilizing the organizing tactic of 1:1s to expand the group’s reach on campus

Fellowships: Fellowships at MPA are highly competitive, with one to three positions available any given year. Fellowships are available to recent graduates and people interested in social justice careers. This is a good opportunity for someone to gain hands-on experience in the social justice and advocacy field. These positions are paid, with the expectation that someone work an average of twenty hours in this role, for a total of 360 hours in the fall and spring. If you are interested in a paid position in the summer, please apply for a position with our canvass team.Fellowships are available in our organizing, policy, and communications programs.

Ideal candidates should meet the following criteria:

Must have a have a passion for social justice and be able to demonstrate how you’ve participated in social justice activities and want to learn solid skills in the field of organizing.

Knowledge of current events and comfort with social media

Highly organized, with an ability to prioritize time-sensitive assignments

Fearlessness – not afraid to be a bold and outside-the-box thinker

Honesty and integrity in fulfilling your commitments

Ready to work hard and take on new challenges and responsibilities

Fluency in Spanish, Somali, Arabic, and French or other languages relevant to recent immigrants is a plus.